Bamunu Arachchi Foundation

Bamunu Arachchige Semenaris Appuhamy was born in late 1895, in Mawathgama, Homagama, Sri Lanka. He started life selling betel leaves but within a span of a few years built a large business empire through his admirable entrepreneurial ability. He entered the lucrative bus transportation sector and he set up the High Level Bus Company. By 1946 he owned a few thousand acres of land planted with tea, rubber and coconut.

With his vision of uplifting the living standard of the common man, he diverted a great potion of land and wealth generated by his businesses to serve the community. The most significant deed of philanthropy was the founding of the Homagama Hospital. He selected a 5 acre block of land he owned in Homagama and built the hospital, not only fully funded by him but under his personal supervision. The hospital he built in 1946 was fully geared to handle the healthcare needs of Homagama and its environs, for several decades in to the future.

The Hospital was handed over to the Government of the day on 16th February 1946, at a ceremony attended by the British Governor Sir Henry Monk Mason Moore, the highest official of His Majesty’s Colonial Government in Ceylon. Three future Prime Ministers of post independent Ceylon also graced the occasion. They were D. S. Senanayake, Sir John Kotelawala and S. W. R. D. Bandaranayake. Also present on the occasion was George E. de Silva and C. W. W. Kannangara.

In recognition of his contributions to the community B A Semaneris Appuhamy was offered a Mohandiram by the British Government. However, as a gentleman who enjoy serving the community humbly and silently late Mr. B A Semenaris Appuhamy declined this offer.

Subsequently, on the 26th January 1997, the Homagama Hospital was upgraded to a Base Hospital by the government to meet the health care needs of a rapidly urbanizing area of the Western Province. Sadly, a few short years after the founding of the hospital,
B A Semaneris Appuhamy passed away on the 10th April 1948. His legacy still lives on through his sons, late Mr. B D Dharmasena, late Mr. B A Piyasena and Mr. B A Mahipala who have continued in their father’s footsteps of philanthropy.